Adjustable head support



July 8, 1958 c. 'BLACHLY 2,841,857

ADJUSTABLE HEAD SUPPORT Filed Sept. 19, 1957 INVENTOR.

BY @M United States Patent ADJUSTABLE HEAD SUPPORT Clark Blachly, Jamestown, Kans.

Application September 19, 1957, Serial No. 684,885

Claims. (Cl. 27--21) This invention has for an object to provide a portable L-shaped support carrying an adjustable head rest adapted for adjustably supporting the head of an invalid or corpse in a desired position while, for example, a surgeon performs an operation on the head of a patient or, in another instance, while an undertaker prepares a body for burial.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an adjustable head rest for surgeons or undertakers use which comprises a stabile base supporting a pivotally mounted angularly adjustable arm carrying at its free end a head rest; the latter being rotatably adjustable and bodily laterally movable relatively to the free end of its angularly adjustable supporting arm.

Another object of my invention is found in the provision of an adjustable head support of the aforementioned character which shall be simple in construction to permit its manufacture at comparatively low cost.

The various features of novelty whereby the present invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims, but, for a full understanding of the invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein I have disclosed a preferred form of my invention.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts or members:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an adjustable head support embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the support; and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the support.

Referring to the drawing, my improved support comprises an L-shaped support consisting of vertical wall member 10a preferably cast with an integral laterally disposed base member 10b and a pair of laterally spaced ears 10c formed at the sides of the junction of the vertical wall member 10a and base member 10b.

A vertically movable angularly adjustable arm 11 is pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot pin 12 carried in the ears 100; the free outer end portion of arm 11 is preferably formed slightly arcuately as more clearly,

shown at 11a in Fig. 1.

The arm 11 is vertically adjustable and adapted to be retained in vertically adjusted position by an adjustable turnbuckle 13 connected at its ends with a pair of eyebolts 14 and 15 carried respectively in the vertical wall 10a and in the arm 11.

A head rest 16, preferably trough-shaped, is pivotally carried on the arcuate end of arm 11 and is adapted to be secured in adjusted position to the arcuate end of arm 11 by means of bolt 17 carrying a securing winged nut 18; the bolt 17 extending through an elongated slotted opening 11b to permit the head rest 16 to be bodily laterally movable into selected laterally adjusted position and secured by tightening of the winged nut 18. In addition to the vertical adjustment by means of the turnbuckle 13 and the lateral adjustment afforded by the bodily movement of head rest 16 with its bolt 17 movable ICC in the elongated slotted opening 11b, the head rest 16 is also rotatably adjustable about the axis of bolt 17; these three adjustments being graphically designated respectively by A as the vertical adjustment, by B as the lateral adjustment, and by C as the rotatable adjustment.

To resist tilting of the device when in use, I provide a stabilizing elongated bar 20 which extends transversely beneath the outer end of the base member 10b; the bar 20 being riveted to and together withthe base member 10b forming a stabile T-shaped base.

It is preferable to employ a washer 19 for bolt 17 between the bottom face of the head rest and top face of the arm 11. i

It is understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the preferred form of the invention illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of the invention and all such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable support carrying an adjustable head rest adapted for use by a surgeon or undertaker in adjustably supporting a human head, comprising an L-shaped support consisting of a vertical wall formed integrally with a laterally disposed base member, a pair of laterally spaced ears formed at the side of the junction of said vertical Wall with said base member, a vertically adjustable arm pivotally carried in said ears, means for retaining said arm in vertically adjusted position comprising an adjustable turnbuckle pivotally connected at its opposite ends respectively to said vertical wall and to said arm, and a head rest pivotally mounted on the outer free end of said arm.

2. A portable support carrying an adjustable head rest adapted for use by a surgeon or undertaker in adjustably supporting a human head, comprising an L-shaped support consisting of a vertical wall formed integrally with a laterally disposed base member including an elongated stabilizing bar disposed transversely of the outer end of said base member, a pair of laterally spaced ears formed at the sides of the junction of said vertical wall With said base member, a vertically adjustable arm pivotally carried in said ears, an adjustable turnbuckle extending between said arm and said vertical wall for retaining said arm in vertically adjusted position, the outer free end of said arm having the end portion thereof formed slightly arcuate and provided therein with a longitudinally disposed elongated opening, a troughshaped head rest mounted on the arcuate end portion of said arm, and a bolt adapted to secure said head rest to said arm extending through said elongated opening and provided with a wing nut adapted, upon tightening, to secure said head rest to said arm in bodily adjusted position relatively to the arcuately curved end of said arm.

3. A portable support carrying an adjustable head rest as set forth in claim 2 and wherein said head rest is additionally rotatably adjustable about the axis of said bolt, and wherein said wing nut is adapted to secure said head rest on the arcuately curved end of said arm in rotatably adjusted position and in laterally bodily adjusted position.

4. A head support of the character described adapted to support a human head, comprising a T-shaped laterally disposed base member, an arm pivotally connected with said base member extending angularly upwardly thereto, said base member having an upstanding support, a turnbuckle having one end connected with said upstanding support and its opposite end connected with said arm whereby said arm is adapted to be retained in vertically adjusted position, the outer free end. of said arm having a slightly arcuately curved end portion provided therein with an elongated opening, a trough-shaped head rest adjustably carried on said curved end portion of said arm, a bolt for adjustably supporting said head rest on 2,841,857 3 4 7 said curved portion of said arm, said bolt extending for additional supplementary adjustment of said head through said elongated opening, said head rest and said rest. bolt being bodily shiftable into selectively adjusted position along said curved end of said arm, and a wing nut References Cited in the file of this Patent secured to the depending end of said bolt adapted, upon UNITED STATES PATENTS tightening, to secure said head rest to the curved end of said arm in selectively adjusted position. 1,515,886 Rurnsey Nov. 18, 1924 5. A head support of the character described as set 1,632,160 Barnes June 4, 1927 forth in claim 4 and wherein said head rest is bodily 1,748,954 Herrmann Mar. 4, 1930 rotatable relatively to the longitudinal axis of said bolt 10 

